1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical member and a display device having the same, and more particularly, to an optical member, which evenly distributes light, and a display device having the optical member.
2. Description of the Related Art
Liquid crystal displays (“LCDs”) are one of the most widely used types of flat panel displays (“FPDs”). A typical LCD includes two display panels, on which electrodes are formed, and a liquid crystal layer which is interposed between the two display panels. The LCD rearranges liquid molecules of the liquid crystal layer by applying a voltage to the electrodes and thus controls an amount of light that passes through the liquid crystal layer. In this way, the LCD displays a desired image.
Being non-self-luminous, LCDs require a light source to operate. One typical light source is a backlight assembly, which includes light-emitting devices to display an image. A backlight assembly provides light to a display panel from behind the display panel and functions as a surface light source which provides substantially uniform light to substantially the entire surface of the display panel.
Backlight assemblies are classified into direct-type backlight assemblies and edge-type backlight assemblies according to the position of light sources which emit light within the backlight assembly. In direct-type backlight assemblies, light sources are disposed under a display panel and light from the light sources travels in a direction substantially perpendicular to a plane of the display panels. In edge-type backlight assemblies, light sources are disposed under one or more sides of a display panel, and light emitted from the light sources is delivered to the display panel via a light guide plate, e.g., the light is redirected to be perpendicular to a plane of the display panels.
Since light sources are disposed under a diffusion plate in direct-type backlight assemblies, bright lines can be formed corresponding to the light sources. In particular, with the current trend of reducing the number of light sources, the probability of the formation of bright and dark lines is increasing.
In this regard, a prism sheet is used to enhance the efficiency of light diffusion and concentration in order to reduce the appearance of bright and dark lines. However, since luminance non-uniformity is increased by the formation of total internal reflection regions in a prism pattern, precise control is required to address this problem.